Top Down, No Swatch Hat Pattern

I recently wrote up and uploaded a pdf to Ravelry for a top-down hat pattern/recipe that I've been toying with for a couple years.

The link: Top Down, No Swatch Hat
Here's a pic of the most recent hat I made.


Several of my first attempts used Judy's Magic Cast On at the top, but I didn't like the tight line it made with yarns thicker than fingering weight. So, the solution was a simple long-tail cast on that is closed up with the tail yarn when you're done.


I've also made a few double-layered hats with this recipe. For that variation, you just double the amount of ribbed cuff, repeat the plain stockinette section, then reverse the shaping by doing mirrored decreases. Finally finishing off by grafting. Here's a link to my Flickr pic showing one of these hats. I can't find the file to upload it here...it must be on my old PC...

J's Twisted Rib Hat

So, I'd like to post some knitting projects & patterns that I've done in the last couple months.

The first is a hat I made for hubby. He's been wearing this knit cap with a wool liner that he's had for years & apparently it started to come apart. When he saw that I was making a bunch of stuff for the kids (mostly diapers for the baby), he said he'd like a new hat. He was also gracious enough to give me till next Christmas to complete it. Ooo...a challenge :)

I scoured the internet looking for a suitable free hat pattern. Something like a skull cap but maybe with a fold up brim...I found this.

I thought it fit the bill. The only trouble was that it was for circular knitting. AAAHHH...I've never tried that before. Well there's a first time for everything, right?

Off to find yarn...I wanted something that was mostly wool (of course) and relatively inexpensive. Oh yeah, and it had to coordinate with a mystery project that hasn't quite been started (sshhh, don't say anything, ok :)

I picked up some black wool-ease thick & quick on sale & I was off.

Being bulky yarn, I had to make some modifications to the pattern as I went along, but I ended up with a skull cap. I was pretty satisfied with it so I let J try it...he didn't like the fit so much :(

Ok, what to do? I still had some yarn left so I picked up stitches along the bottom & knit a fold-up rim (a few stitches narrower than I'd started the rest of the hat so it would fit tighter).
With only a few inches of yarn to spare, I finished (again) but this time he liked it :) Yay!

So here's what I did...

J's Twisted Rib Hat Pattern

Modifications I made for bulky weight yarn to make a skull cap for a 24" diameter head…
(The needle size changes are only because that’s what I have on hand)

Alternate Knit Cast-on & Purl Cast-on for 77 stitches on #9 circular needle.
Round 1: Slip 1 stitch, Ktbl1,P1 for 74 stitches, P2tog (76sts).
Continued twisted rib for 6.5”
1st decrease: Ktbl1, P1, SSKtbl for one round.
Ktbl or P for 2 rounds as stitches appeared.
2nd decrease: Starting at last Knit stitch on last round, SSKtbl, P1 for one round (switched to size 6, 16” needle).
Ktbl or P for 2 rounds as stitches appeared.
3rd decrease: SSKtbl for one round (19sts) (switched to size 3 dpn).
Ktbl for one round.
4th decrease: SSKtbl for one round (10sts).
Ktbl for one round.
5th decrease: SSKtbl, Ktbl1 for one round (7sts). Leaving a 10” tail, break yarn & draw it through all remaining sts. Pull it closed on the wrong side of hat.

DH complained that it was too short & too loose around the ears so I added the fold up brim as follows…

Pick up 72sts from the bottom edge (skipping 4sts evenly around).
Ktbl 1, P1 for ~1.75” then knit & purl cast off.

I would’ve liked to have a thicker brim but I used nearly ALL of the skein and had only inches to spare. Maybe if I had originally only cast on 73sts to start the hat, I would’ve been able to add a thicker brim.

Also, adding the brim as an “afterthought” actually worked well to give the hat a natural crease for the bulky yarn to fold. I think the next one I make (with bulky yarn) I will add a regular knit round after the height of the brim so it can fold up easily.

The finished product...